[Chris Roselle]

As someone who works in golf administration I'm conflicted on this...On the one hand 18-holes really set a USGA stroke play champion apart but on the other hand 2 holes just seems like they did not want to be like the Masters (sudden death), PGA (3 hole aggregate) and Open Championship (4 hole aggregate)

http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/articles/2018/02/2018-to-bring-new-format-for-u-s--open-championships.html

[Michael Graham]

Boo!


Ouimet, Vardon and Ray will be turning in their graves. An 18 hole play-off after four gruelling rounds is bad ass.

[Erik J. Barzeski]

Ouimet, Vardon and Ray will be turning in their graves. An 18 hole play-off after four gruelling rounds is bad ass.

I agree, but I think that they listened to the majority who would prefer to see a champ on Sunday. The only real compelling 18-hole playoff in recent years was the 2008 one, and only then because it was Tiger.

[Chris Roselle]

Ouimet, Vardon and Ray will be turning in their graves. An 18 hole play-off after four gruelling rounds is bad ass.

I agree, but I think that they listened to the majority who would prefer to see a champ on Sunday. The only real compelling 18-hole playoff in recent years was the 2008 one, and only then because it was Tiger.

They most likely listened to Fox Sports who most definitely wanted a champion crowned by Sunday evening...

[David_Tepper]

https://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2018/2/26/2-holes-usga-ends-18-hole-playoff

[jeffwarne]

2 hole aggregate?
Why not 6 minute abs?....


watered down compromise-4,3,2 and sudden death
If not 18, sudden death makes the most sense.
2, is just stupid-especially when paired with the word "aggregate"
each major is unique now I guess
whatever


back to ball studies

[Tom_Doak]

Maybe they can design two special cross-country holes for the playoff, to add drama and give the set-up guys some more attention.

[jeffwarne]

Maybe they can design two special cross-country holes for the playoff, to add drama and give the set-up guys some more attention.

They'd just shorten them to make one a driveable par 5.....gotta keep Davis' name front and center

[Matt_Cohn]

2018 Shinnecock: 17+18
2019 Pebble Beach: 17+18
2020 Winged Foot: 11 or 17+18
2021 Torrey Pines: 7+18
2022 Country Club: 1 or 17+18
2023 LACC: 1 or 17+18
2024 Pinehurst: 17+18


Any other ideas?

[Tom_Doak]

2018 Shinnecock: 17+18
2019 Pebble Beach: 17+18
2020 Winged Foot: 11 or 17+18
2021 Torrey Pines: 7+18
2022 Country Club: 1 or 17+18
2023 LACC: 1 or 17+18
2024 Pinehurst: 17+18


Any other ideas?

You are probably right that mostly the playoffs will be on 17 & 18, because that's where the biggest grandstands are.


Personally, I hate to see a playoff decided on a par-3 hole.  The four par-4's at St. Andrews [1-2-17-18] are a much more balanced test.

[Mike_Clayton]

Tom,


Not sure re 1,2,17,18 at St Andrews being such a balanced test.
Johnson hit wedges into 3 off them - and from memory a lousy long iron into 17 - giving him a pretty decent advantage over Leishman and Louis. Not that they aren't all great holes.
Completely impractical but rather play 12,13,14 and 17.

[Bob Brightly]

2025 Oakmont 17/18

[V. Kmetz]

Tom,


Not sure re 1,2,17,18 at St Andrews being such a balanced test.
Johnson hit wedges into 3 off them - and from memory a lousy long iron into 17 - giving him a pretty decent advantage over Leishman and Louis. Not that they aren't all great holes.
Completely impractical but rather play 12,13,14 and 17.

I'd go further on the fun-to-discuss impractical standard (and resist TD's circumspection of par 3s in short playoffs) and make it the Loop from 8-11, thus potentially making the entire playoff one shotters.


cheers  vk

[Bill Shamleffer]

As I was talking about this last night, it became pretty obvious why the 2-hole playoff - TV (and I can not not knock them for this decision).


They did not want the immediate sudden death.  But will need to create a window of available day light for a playoff of at least 2 holes (& possibly a 3rd or 4th).  They also still want to maximize the regulation tournament finishing as much in prime-time (or close to prime-time) TV viewing.  With a 2 hole playoff, they may only backup the final starting times about 20-40 mins.  Thus a 7:00pm finish becomes 6:20-6:40 for Shinnecock (& later for Pebble Beach).


I LOVE having the US Open with an 18 hole playoff.  It is one of the great unique sports events.  But I too like to see the winner decided on Sunday evening.  And the USGA and hosting club, will very much appreciate the now VERY complicated logistics of a Monday playoff removed.

[Jon Wiggett]

Pebble Beach could start with a run from the clubhouse to the 8th tee. Play the hole, swim to the 18th tee and then play that to finish in a golfing triathlon. Now that would make the US Open stand out from the crowd


Alternatively, a 4 or 5 hole play off (depending on the course layout) is a suitable compromise.


Jon

[Eric LeFante]

2018 Shinnecock: 17+18
2019 Pebble Beach: 17+18
2020 Winged Foot: 11 or 17+18
2021 Torrey Pines: 7+18
2022 Country Club: 1 or 17+18
2023 LACC: 1 or 17+18
2024 Pinehurst: 17+18


Any other ideas?

You are probably right that mostly the playoffs will be on 17 & 18, because that's where the biggest grandstands are.


Personally, I hate to see a playoff decided on a par-3 hole.  The four par-4's at St. Andrews [1-2-17-18] are a much more balanced test.

I agree with Tom about not wanting to see a par 3 in the playoff, especially when it's only two holes.


I think it would be cool to see 16 and 18 at Shinnecock. It would be a short cart ride or long walk from 16 green to 18 tee. Not ideal but if you think about it, every playoff on the PGA Tour now requires a cart ride after each tied hole.


From a logistics standpoint, 1 and 9 are the easiest and closest to the clubhouse. 9 may be too close to the clubhouse too have many grandstands.

17 and 18 at Winged Foot would be a very stern test and if you hit the fairway and green on both holes you deserve to win.

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()